Description

Start from the trail where a wide crack (New Chautauqua) leads up to a roof with chalked holds. Start up the face to the left of the crack, wander up to a pin in a bulge and follow the line of bolts through the roof and up the face above all the way to the walk-off ledge for The Bastille Crack.

This pitch has surprisingly awesome rock, really good pro (it's bolted) and killer moves. I'm tempted to give it three stars, but I think we give too many things three stars on this site that may not quite deserve it. Fred Knapp stated in his Best of Boulder Climbs guide that this has become a "classic de jour" and I can see why. I loved this route. The crux is short and it's near the bottom of the route. A lot of guides call this .11c or .11b/c, but I think it's a little easier, maybe even .11a if you're comparing it to T2 or something. Anyhow, after the crux is over the route continues to deliver with absolutely awesome movement up the steep face on better than could be hoped for holds. Definitely worth a go if you're up on the Bastille. Oh, and many guides also note the optional light rack to supplement the bolts. I brought a few pieces but didn't place any, as I thought the bolts were sufficient. It tops out just to the left of Your Mother when facing the wall at a dead tree (belay anchor).

Protection

7 or so bolts and a pin down low. Bring some long draws for the first couple clips.

I don't climb sport routes very often, but this is as good as any I've done (I TR'd it because it looked so intimidating, but afterward I wished I had led it). The crux is hard but very short and safe, and after that, with the exception of one move on a slab, it's huge jugs on excellent vertical or overhanging rock for 100 feet, somewhat like the upper part of Hair City's first pitch only much longer and juggier! Amazing!

The only place you might want gear is to back up the awkward move past the pin near the bottom. As an alternate top belay you can untie and thread the rope through a pinch, more or less directly above the route.

I agree this is a good route. I also agree that this route is probably not .11c. It also poses a question- Is a route that is lead using only bolts for pro a sport route? This one is not over bolted, but the cruxes are well protected. Hmmm....

Here's what I think about sport/trad with bolts. In my opinion, part of the definition of a sport route is that it is well protected enough that there is no potential for long falls or dangerous ones anyway. So if you go by that, routes like Pansee Sauvage or maybe Just Another Girls Climb, or any pitch with an "S" rating, wouldn't be classified as sport routes even though bolts are the only pro. Sunset Boulevard is definitely a sport route.

Ditto, Roger (on both accounts) - I was climbing up in the Estes Park area this past weekend and a fall on some of the bolted climbs would have been dramatic to say the least: Index toe before the last bolt comes to mind - there is the potential for 50'er (easy rock but uneasy climbing). Some bolted routes are not for the squeemish....

Excellent route. It feels like an 11-, but you almost forget that you are in Eldo. There's definitely no need for sketching around trying to will an RP into the rock, I did it out of old habit going for the onsight but will probably just use the bolts from now on. At most sport crags, I think this would probably get an R rating as well as three stars. I wouldn't be too psyched to use only the dead tree as a belay anchor, this route is pretty good at spitting people off. I used some nuts, a #2 Camalot and a long sling to make a solid anchor at the walk off ledge.

There is now a beefy, two bolt 'sport anchor' that allows a true sport climbing experience, right here in Eldo. (The Action Committee for Eldo web site reveals that this was applied for and approved in the Fall of 2002). This anchor makes this a really fun, quick sport route to do before work. A 60m rope was plenty long for the TR/rap off - the application on the ACE site states that the anchor is "97 feet above the ground".

I did this route yesterday and it was great. I thought the bolts were perfect and although I had extra gear on me I did not place any. The wall looks intimidating as it is overhung the whole way but there are some great rests (no hands) and all jugs. Just keep pulling clipping and you will get through it. Amazing position and a great route to jump on on the way down the Bastille from another route.

Hey folks, climbed this one for the first time in a few years onsighted (loved) it the first time, got spanked the second time, flashed (loved) it the third time, the first time up the route was right after it went up and the thing that impressed me the most was the quality of rock/movement and the well spaced bolts. Except for the second bolt, I found the second bolt to be unnecessary and a real energy sucker AND out of character with the well spaced bolts on the rest of the route - my advice to those who follow is to ignore the bolt and go for the good holds. I understand that this bolt may take some of the commitment off the edge of the crux move but climbing in Eldo requires commitment even when on a sport/mixed route. Also, having climbed the route before and after the newly installed chain anchor. I found the route to be more enjoyable, in the style of Eldo climbing, when the route continued to the ledge - c'est la vie = have fun - thanks, Chris.

A point of clarification to the ac who thought the 2nd bolt above the crux was unnecessary. I added that bolt to protect the second. Without it, a fall at the crux while following the pitch sends the second into space and necessitates lowering to the ground and starting over.

Though it's too new to be in the Boulder Climbs South guide, I've seen folks on it and kept marching on by without giving it a second thought. I'm happy that tradition ended and we jumped on it finally. The bolts are in good spots, but I backed up the pin out of habit. If you blow the first bolt and your belayer is narcoleptic, you could deck I guess. The moves through the first and second roofs are exquisite and the slab work past the white round inclusion was superb. The end left me wanting more, kind of like a slutty supermodel lingerie show.

I too enjoyed this route and agree that it is soft for Eldo--I felt like I was on the beach in Thailand while powering through the jugs while clipping bolts (in more ways than one). I wasn't sure of the grade beforehand and thought it was hard 10 or easy 11 (not that I am an authority). The runouts were totally manageable on easier ground but I did place some gear (equalized two small tcus)in the stratum below the first bolt as I didn't know what I was getting into. In hindsight, the clip wasn't bad. All in all, this helped my ego in contrast to all the sketchy 10+/11-s in Eldo.

Lots of fun, the start looks intimidating but is pretty solid. A small RP can back up the pin and a blue Alien/blue TCU can be found at the ledge before getting to the first bolt. It is also pretty easy to clip the first bolt and downclimb for a rest. This was my hardest redpoint and onsight in Eldo to date, felt easier than some 10s though. I'd like to call it 11a, but other routes of the same grade seem harder (first p. Genesis, Vertigo, C'est La Vie). People who haul overhanging jugs at the gym will do fine on this. A warm up on Hair City yesterday was perfect before Sunset Boulevard.

My gear (other than bolts/piton): #1 Camalot before piton, nut after piton (can't remember which one but about size of little purple TCU), and slung horn up high (not necessary but cut down on somewhat spacey (but reasonable) bolts. Not many (or perhaps any!) routes like this in Eldo--a real sport climb (with a small bit of supplemental gear as noted). Lots of fun; I wish there more.